Jan 15, 2015

Gillison’s donates sprayer to research station

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication, based in Benzonia, Michigan, recently donated a sprayer to Michigan State University’s (MSU) Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center. Nikki Rothwell, the center’s coordinator, said the donation makes Gillison’s the first “allied partner” of the Michigan Tree Fruit Commission, which was recently created to address infrastructure needs at MSU’s fruit research stations.

The center previously had an old, one-sided Curtec sprayer that didn’t always work well. Some on the commission thought that, since most cherry growers don’t use that kind of air curtain-type sprayer, a more traditional airblast sprayer would be more appropriate for the center, Rothwell said.

Mike VanAgtmael, a grower near Hart, Michigan, approached Ron Gillison, owner of Gillison’s Variety Fabrication, about the center’s need, and Gillison agreed to donate a sprayer, she said.

“I really think it is a win-win: the northwest station gets a sprayer, and Gillison’s gets a feather in its cap about being the first to support the industry, the growers, the station and the newly formed tree fruit commission,” Rothwell said.